Veteran Czech Ladislav Benysek is getting set to add to some Eastern European steel to the Braehead Clan defence.

The new signing touched down in Renfrewshire late last week and is now preparing to make his Clan debut.

The Czech defenceman has played more than 150 games in the AHL and iced in 159 matches with NHL side the Minnesota Wild.

Benysek has extensive experience of playing in various European leagues, including the Czech, Danish, Finnish, French and Italian leagues.

He has also lifted the Italian Serie A title with Asiago in the 2010/2011 season. At international level, Benysek has picked up two World Championship gold medals with his country.

Benysek looks likely to make his first appearance for Clan in their clash with Coventry Blaze on Friday at 7.30pm.

Less than 24 hours later, at 7pm on Saturday, the Nottingham Panthers will be the next visitors to Braehead Arena.

Meanwhile, Clan sank to a defeat away from home over the weekend to Nottingham Panthers, losing 7-3.

The visitors were hit for seven by the end of the second period to end the contest, with Brandon Benedict helping himself to a hat-trick.

Clan, who lost goaltender Daren Machesney to a match penalty for obscene gestures at 33mins 11secs, regained some pride in a third period when they won 3-0.

But the damage had been done long before that point, with Panthers giving ice time to Dan Green between the pipes in the third session.

It took Panthers only 84 seconds to go ahead when Guillaume Lepine fired in and, at 3mins 35secs, Benedict scored his first for 2-0.

Stunned Clan’s horror start got worse when Benedict scored another on a shorthanded play at 8mins 24secs and it was damage limitation for the visitors as they regained some composure to end the period still only 3-0 behind.

Benedict completed a straight hat-trick when scoring Panthers’ fourth at 21mins 31secs and then Bruce Graham got on the act with a fifth at 31mins 5secs.

Machesney was dismissed as David Clarke scored Panthers’ sixth at 33mins 11secs and with Mike Will between the Clan pipes, Jonathan Weaver fired in number seven for the hosts at 36mins 40secs on the powerplay.

Credit to Clan, though, as they restored pride in the third session, scoring three without reply.

Brock McPherson ended a long goal drought when opening the Clan account at 42mins 57secs and then recent signing Matt Schepke added a quick double at 49mins 6secs and 51mins 6secs to complete the scoring.

With two more points for Panthers, they look a difficult team to stop in this form.